The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-13

blank paper upon which he caused Morey,
who was an expert penman, to forge Clark's
signature under his dictation. The forgery
was eventually discovered, but not until
Pugsley, in the course of some legal proceed
ings connected with the mortgage, had com
United deliberate perjury in the endeavor to
carry out the original scheme.
Morey was subsequently convicted of the
forgery, and has been in State prison for
seven years.
Pugsley was also indicted for the
crime, but for eleven, years has succeeded
In battling the courts by a series Of the
mast astounding and successful perform
ances, until it had come to be accepted in
the general belief that he would never be
tried at all. He readily succeeded in giving
bail, and has been all this time at liberty.
but has lived suspected and largely Stunned
by his neighbors and acquaintance. For
forty -four successive terms of the court has
this case been on the calendar for trial, only
to be put over each time, generally through
the cunning of Pugsley. All this time wit
nesses were liable to die or move away,
while the facts of the case had altogether
faded from general knowledge. Had not
the crime itself been so largely a matter of
record and written evidence it is doubtful
il these tactics would not have eventuated
in the final dropping Of the case. But the
court has insisted throughout the whole
affair that there should be trial, and when
often defeated in its purpose has simply
postponed the trial and refused to discOn-
tinue it,
Pugsley always responded when his case
was called, or produced sufficient showing
under the rules of the court to put it over
the term. He claimed to be the victim of
species of fits which would attack him
without moments warning. AT all times
his hands would shake as though he was
suffering a violent fit of ague. When taken
with this fit he would fall upon the floor,
writhe in commissions that We're really
frightful to witness, clutch at anything
within his reach, bark, yelp and whine mar
velously like dog, froth at the mouth, and
present such spectacle as quickly to empty
the courtroom of spectators, jurors and
witnesses. Over and over again was this
game played, and every time with the
greatest success. The court was compelled
to adjourn the trial or give up, doing bust
ness. Between terms of court these fits
never attacked their victim, but he asserted
that any undue excitement would surely
bring them on and proceeded to produce
lndlsDutable proof when occasion demanded.
Suspicious grew apace that all this was a
most cunningly and wonderfully executed
piece of deception, until it became the set
tied belief. Nevertheless, the performance
would unfailingly empty the court room
every time, so startling and revolving was
it In all its details, tand carried out with
such phenomenal perfection. Finally, it
was determined that the case should be tried
at the present term, and the case came ON
this week. Pugsley responded as usual
Apparently man over 60 years of age, his
head was bent down to his chest and from
under his constantly moving gray eyebrows
peered a pair of keen eyes, the lids of which
dropped and raised with huttering motion
every few seconds. His hands shook, and
his whole appearance was that OF a man
laboring under some severe nervous
difficulty. This time he found that the
court meant business of an ironclad sort.
Upon being asked if he had counsel he re-
piled that he desired none, and would man.
age his own case. The court suggested that
he would probably need the services of a
lawyer, but he persisted in refusing to have
anything to do with one. During the inn
paneling of the jury he shrewdly questioned
them to discover any latent prejudices they
might have, but the panel was filed with
little difficulty and the trial proceeded. The
forged papers were produced and evidence
of Pugsley's perjury clearly shown. In his
cross questioning he displayed very clear
and accurate memory of facts and dates, and
frequently put the most intelligent wit
nesses at fault by his superior knowledge.
Finally the prosecution produced Morey,
the forger, as witness, bringing him from
prison for the purpose. Pugsleys attention
for the moment had been attracted else
where about the room. He had no intima-
ton OF Morey's presence in the town. no ex-
pectation of seeing him on the trial Turn
ing suddenly he caught glimpse of the
witness. The effect demoralized him for the
rest of the day. He went off into a fit
straightway, exciting the greatest alarm in
the court room. The spectacle of the old
man wallowing upon the floor, crashing his
teeth, yelping barking, digging his fingers
into the creviceS, and wIithing as if the
clutches of a demon was too much for the
nerves of the most hardened and Indifferent;
only the Judge and the Prosecuting At
torney maintained their equilibrium They
were determined that the trial should pro
coed, no matter at what cost of delay and
trouble. A recess was taken until the fit
was over and the trial resumed. But Morey
had not proceeded five minutes in this mar
rative of events before another fit waltzed
Pugsley off his chair and sent him trembling
about the floor, again causing general
stampede from the court room. This was
repeated several times during the giving of
Morey's testimony, but the court was pa
tent and firmly persistent, and the evil
dence, after several recesses, was finally
concluded, while Pugsleys legal rights
were at the same time carefully protected
by the court.
White, the other dupe of the defendant.
was also produced and gave his testimony
The prosecution made out their case with
out a flaw. Pugsley introduced several
witnesses in his behalf, finally calling his
son-in-law to the stand, which was the sig
nal for another demonstration, with vari-
ations Suddenly jumping from his chair,
Pugsley rushed out Of the room, ran down
stairs, went back to the court house. and
lay down on the grass. Here he writhed,
twisted, rolled his eyes about, and gave
voice to growls, snarls and suppressed
shrieks. It was the same distressing sight
witnessed by the crowd in attendance at a
safe distance. Twice before during the
afternoon he had gone through similar per
formances; the first time the cries of his
wife mingled with the other noises and add
ing to the general unpleasantness of the sit
uation. The last exhibition was about )
o'clock in the afternoon, and the court ad-
journed till morning.
At the opening of court yesterday Pugsley
did not appear, and sent word that he was
in too feeble condition to be present. The
Judge, however, ordered his attendance,
and he was brought in by two officers, but
was hardly placed in his chair before he
fell to the floor with unusual emphasis, and
went off in his writhing, snarling and glib
har-ino ba bat